Multiple splint unit



Jan. 23, 1945. A. F. SHRYER MULTIPLE SPLINT'UNIT Filed March 19, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 441' T OPNE Y5 Jan. 23, 1945. A, F. SHRYER MULTIPLE SPLINT UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 19, 1943 Patented Jan. 23, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE SPLINT UNIT Arthur F. Shryer, Kenmore, N. Y.

Application March 19, 1943, Serial No. 479,751

Claims.

This invention relates to a multiple splint unit which comprises a plurality of splints, suchlas are required in fractures or surgical operations to hold the injured limbs of a person or animal in the required apposition to promote setting and healing and to perform other medical operations such as stopping bleeding and similar functions.

It is the object of this invention to provide an inexpensive multiple splint unit of this character in which various kinds of splints and similar surgical devices are assembled in a compact form and held together by means which enable this unit to be transported conveniently and also quickly and easil disassembled when the same are required for some particular purpose;

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. i is a perspective view of a satisfactory form of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the several splint or surgical members of this unit separated from each other preparatory to using the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the assembled multiple splint unit.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are vertical transverse sections, taken on the correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. 3. i

In the following description the same reference numerals indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the practice of that branch of surgery which relates to treating fractured limbs and stopping bleedin wounds, various forms of splint are required to suit the injury of the particular lim'b under treatment, also windlasses for operatin tourniquets whereby bleeding of wounds is arrested and also hand traction sticks whereby injured hands are maintained in the desired shape while being treated.

When the aid of a surgeon i called he. often does not know the character of the service which has to be rendered and has to resort to emergency equipment in many cases which is not as eflicient as the standard means usually employed for this urpose.

The splints most commonly used for treating fractures include comparatively long arm and leg traction splints H), H which are used more particularly for treating fractured legs, arms and the like. also non-traction splints l2. 13 for general use which are somewhat shorter than the arm and leg traction splints and a short nontraction splint M for use in treating fractured fingers and the like. These splints are usually constructed of comparatively thin and narrow strips of wood which are sufficiently stifi to support the part to which they are applied and hold them against displacement. The surgeon may also require one or more Windlass rods or sticks l5 for use in twisting a tourniquet to stop the patient from bleeding, each of these Windlass rods consisting of a round stick or wood which may be provided with a central opening It for receiving the ends of the tourniquet preparatory to twisting the same.

When some part of the hand is fractured or injured it is customary for the surgeon to secure a hand traction stick I! in the palm of the hand, which stick is usually made of round wood and may be provided with a central opening ill by which a fastening may be attachedthereto.

Each of the arm and leg splints l0, ;l l" may be employed by itself as a relatively short splint for holding the parts of a leg orarm against displacement by attaching the same to injured members in such manner that only an alining effect is produced, but if in addition to holding the limb in alinement, it is also desired to produce a longitudinal pulling or traction effect then this splint is attached firmly to the limb by means of bandages or tapes passing around the limb and into V-shaped notches l9 formed in the opposite ends of this splint and in some cases engaging the bandages or tapes with notches which are formed in the opposite edges of the splint adjacent to one end thereof, each of these side notches having an abrupt or transverse outer side 20 and an inclined inner side- 2|.

When a splint of unusual length is required two splints may be coupled and adjustably connected with each other to suit the requirement of the work in hand. This may be accomplished by various means, those shown in the drawings being satisfactory and consisting of two adjusting bolts 22 passing through a pair of spaced openings 23 formed on a line arranged centrally on the lower long splint 'IB and the adjacent part of a longitudinal slot 24 in the corresponding part of the upper long splint H, and

each having a head and washer 29 bearing against the outer sides of these splints, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Upon loosening these bolts the long splints H], H may be moved lengthwise relative to each other until the required length is obtained and thereafter the same may be held against further relative longitudinal movement by tightening these bolts.

For the purpose of piling or stacking the several splints and sticks referred to in the most compact manner and connecting them so that the same can be conveniently carried about or transported as a unit, the procedure is as follows:

The two long splints l 0, II are first placed one above the other so that their corresponding ends are even, or substantially so, and thus reduce the total length of the unit to minimum, after which the adjusting bolts are tightened. Thereafter the two Windlass sticks or rods l5 are placed lengthwise and end to end, but spaced apart, in the slot 24 on one side of the bolts 22 so that these sticks are confined against lateral displacement. The two traction splints I2, l3 of intermediate length are now placed in a superposed position over the Windlass sticks and the adjacent part of the upper long traction splint ll so as to confine the Windlass sticks in this slot.

The short finger splint I4 is now placed upon the central part of the upper non-traction splint l3 and then the hand traction stick is placed over the central part ofthe finger splint l4. After the several splints and sticks have been thus stacked the body 25 of a tie or coupling bolt is passed through the opening 18 of the hand traction stick and through openings 26, 21 and 28 formed respectively in the central parts of the finger splint, the intermediate general splints I2, 13 and the arm and leg splints l0, H and also through the space between the opposing ends of the Windlass sticks l5, then the nut of this bolt is tightened so as todraw the nut and the head of this bolt firmly against the top of the hand traction stick and against the undersideof the lower long. traction splint H1. By these means theseveral surgical members are securely held I together as a compact unit and-thus permit the same to be handled and transported without liability of becoming detached-from one another and still enabling the same to bereadily disassembled for use.

This mannerrof producing a compact unit o'fa plurality orsplints and sticks for" surgical purposes is not only useful in domestic practice, but

cost and the same can also be carried around easily and conveniently.

I claim as my invention:

1. A surgical unit comprising a splint having a longitudinal slot, a Windlass stick lying in said slot, splints arranged above and below said slotted splint and Windlass stick, and means passing through said splints and past said Windlass stick and connecting the same.

2. A surgical unit comprising a splint having a longitudinal slot, a Windlass stick lying in said slot, splints arranged above and below said slotted splint and Windlass stick, and a tie bolt passing through said splints and past the end of said stick for connecting the splints and said Windlass stick.

3. A surgical unit comprising a splint which is provided with a longitudinal slot, an unslotted splint arranged below the slotted splint and having openings, a Windlass stick arranged in said slot, an unslotted splint arranged above said stick, a fastening passing through said splints and past the end of said Windlass stick, and adjusting bolts passing through said slot and openmgs.

4. A surgical unit comprising a splint which is provided with a longitudinal slot, an unslotted splint arranged below the slotted splint and having openings, adjusting bolts passing through said slot and openings, a Windlass stick arranged in said slot, a splint arranged over said Windlass stick and slotted splint, and a fastening bolt for connecting said splints and Windlass stick passing through said splints and past the end of said stick.

,5. vAsurgical unit comprising a pair of superposed comparatively long traction splints adapted for splinting arm and leg fractures, the lower one of which is unslottedand the upper one of which is provided with a longitudinal slot, a pair of cylindrical Windlass sticks arranged end to end in the slot of said slotted splint and adapted for twisting tourniquets, bolts connecting said long splints and passing through said slot in the upper one of the long splints, a pair of superposed nontraction splints of intermediate length arranged over said windlasses, sticks and slotted splint, a short splint arranged upon the upper nontraction splint and adapted for splinting fingers, a hand traction stick arranged upon the finger splint, and a bolt passing through said splints and between the opposing ends of said Windlass sticks and connecting the same.

ARTHUR F. SHRYER. 

